This article contains highly sensitive material, including infant death, that may be triggering for some individuals.
“To the 16-month old baby who was left alone in the playpen for 10 days, sorry baby if you have to get through that. You don’t deserve any of that treatment. You may now rest in heaven. No more hunger, thirst, pain, and longing. Sorry baby, sorry!”
This is the post from Momma’s Universe that has been making the rounds on Facebook. It directly pertains to news from the US about the Ohio mom who left her daughter for 10 days and has recently pleaded to aggravated murder.
Ohio mom left baby at home alone
According to news reports, Kristin Candelario, 32 years old, pleaded guilty to child endangerment and aggravated murder as part of a plea deal with Cuyahoga County prosecutors. In exchange for dismissing two murder counts and a felonious assault charge, she’s facing a life term, with the sentencing set for March 18.
Authorities say that Kristin left her 16-month old daughter, Jailyn in their home in Cleveland when she went on vacation in Detroit and Puerto Rico in June 2023. She then found the girl not breathing and unresponsive in the playpen ten days later. Emergency responders found the child was “extremely dehydrated” and pronounced her dead at the scene.
Autopsy determined that the toddler died of starvation and severe dehydration.
In a press release, Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley said, “This case is one of those truly unimaginable cases that will stick with me for many years to come. As prosecutors, it is our job to represent the victims and today we spoke on behalf of 16-month-old Jailyn–who is no longer with us–due to the selfish decisions her mother made. This conviction today, is the first steps towards justice for Jailyn.”
When can parents leave their kids home alone
Leaving kids home alone or without supervision can be challenging for most parents. And it can also be hard to determine at what age it is appropriate to do so. As most experts point out, it’s evident that children aged under 5 years old can’t manage on their own, while teens aged 16 years old and above can. Furthermore, it’s generally not advisable to leave kids younger than 10 years old alone since, at this age, most kids don’t yet have the maturity and skills to respond to an emergency.
So how can parents determine if their child is ready to be left home without supervision? Here are a few things to ask yourself:
- Does your child demonstrate responsibility when dealing with tasks such as his homework, household chores, and following directions?
- How does your child react to unexpected situations? Does he stay calm when things don’t go as planned?
- Does your child understand and follow rules?
- Does your child know, understand, and can follow safety measures?
- Does your child display good judgment?
- Is your child familiar with emergency services in your area or knowledgeable about basic first aid?
Remember, if in doubt, don’t leave your child home alone. If you absolutely must leave your child behind, always try to arrange for someone you and your child trust to look after them.
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